Sauchie 1-2 Kennoway Star Hearts

Sauchie, fresh from an impressive win over Linlithgow the previous week, were looking strong favourites on their home patch but it was KSH who started the game with confidence and energy.

The away side had the first chance of the match when Doig saw a shot blocked from 15 yards in the 12th minute. Captain C.Gay was pulling the strings in the middle of the park ably assisted by McGowan and Muir.

Shaw saw a penalty claim waved away on the half hour mark when it looked like a clumsy tackle had fouled the KSH forward. There was a real desire from KSH and the willingness to go that extra yard for each other.

Despite the dominance from KSH, Sauchie had dangerous players of their own who could turn defence into attack and this was evident on the 40th minute when the clearest chance of the game was passed up by a striker whenhe pulled his shot wide of the target.

Just before half time the impressive Muir made a late run into the penalty area before lifting a lobbed effort over Dolan as the `keeper advanced from his goal, the ball was kept out of the goal when Bell hooked the ball clear.

KSH started on the front foot after the interval with Band shooting from the left inside the first five minutes. Five minutes later a free kick delivery from M.Gay on the left came back to Muir on the edge of the area and his shot went over the bar.

A positive start to the half from Kennoway was dismantled as Sauchie took the lead in the 57th minute. A corner from the right was not cleared properly as the ball fell into the path of Wells, he made no mistake firing it into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Clearly lifted by the opener Sauchie started to exert some pressure on the KSH defence in the next period of play.

Eventually, KSH regained some sort of composure and skipper C.Gay saw a shot saved by Dolan with 65 minutes on the clock.

Two minutes later a deserved equaliser arrived when from another C.Gay effort. Band was on hand to sweep the ball high past Dolan and a defender on the goal line.

Such was the nature of the final third of the match Sauchie should have retaken the lead when a header from eight yards missed the target when a goal looked likely.

With 14 minutes remaining a weighted pass from C.Gay released Muir in the outside left channel, the midfielder showed great determination winning the ball and driving past his marker before sliding it across the six yard line for Craig to knock the ball home.

The final minutes saw some resolute defending as Sauchie threw everything into attack. Doig made one telling tackle as Sauchie broke in numbers. Without any real goalscoring chances for either side the referee blew for full time.